Won

2 small tourneys on Bodog last night, and been playing alot more more omaha hi lo cash games recently, both fixed and pot limit, and they have been treating me well. Hopefully, I can take some of this momentum, and have a nice sunday today. (Regardless of the majors, I have a good feeling for the Horse tourneys tonight on Stars and full tilt.) Bodog has recently upgraded their tourney schedule, and I have started playing there much more again. Without party around, Stars and Bodog are def my favorite sites to play on. (Although they both have major flaws, Stars has way too many good players as a percentage, in their larger buyin tourneys, especially the rebuys. And Bodog's software is definately not first class.)

Todays tenative schedule:

Bodog $109 , 100K
Stars 215, 1M
UB 215, 200k
Full Tilt 216, 250k (the pro's arent rich enough, they need the extra $1 rake)
Stars 215, 2nd chance
Stars 215, Horse
Full Tilt 215, Horse

Possible additions depending on how I'm doing/feeling:

Bodog 100, 1k added
Bodog 44, 25k
Stars 100R, 200R
UB 100, 40K
Stars 200, Omaha Hi lo

Haven't

been posting much recently, because I really have no idea what the future will bring. If it stays the way it is right now (post the law being signed, but before its full effects are known or implemented) it will be a major "down" for online poker, but that's it. We'll be fine, poker is still profitable. Of course, for better or worse, it's not gonna remain the same, soooooooo we have a long way. And of course, there is nothing to little we can do to even sway the argument, let alone have it back to the way it was. To say I am disillusioned is to put it mildly.

All in all, I still think online poker will remain profitable, although I'm not sure how much of that is wishful thinking. I too am getting more accustomed to the idea of living in another country, although it is still not what I would like to do at the moment. Wait and see continues.

When in doubt, play aggresively. Had to throw in something poker related.

Interesting take

A response to an earlier failed version of the anti-poker legislation: Truly Disgusting

And another: Link

Back in the USA

I'm still clueless as to the how bill will end up impacting us. Of course I'm hoping for the best, but I really don't see anything I/we can change what will happen. (It might be better or worse than we expect, but that will have nothing to do with our efforts.)

The major issue for me has to do with the long run profitability of the game. I was asked during my travels if I planned on playing poker forever. I answered at least for the forseeable future. I no longer believe that to be the case. (I really, really, really etc. hope I'm wrong)

I'm going to keep playing mtt's for the short term, but I'm also going to plan for the day when/if poker is no longer profitable for me. Here's hoping to that day not coming! I still remain angry/confused/bitter/sad/upset that there is so little we can do in a vibrant democracy such as ours. And yes, we are still far, far advanced compared to most countries in the governmental system department- thats what makes the above line soo true. If I were in Cuba, I'd almost expect this kind of thing, and here Italy, a Euro-quasi socialist country legalizes online poker, and the USA, supposed king of the free market, outlaws it.

During my month abroad, I played much less than normal, and while I was playing things were not going my way. In general, my results were sub par, but then the couple of times when I did go deep, I ended in bad situations. In the only Wcoop event that I cashed, 200R, I ended up blowing an above average stack, 3 betting all in with JJ, in a situation where looking back I wish I hadn't, the 2nd raiser had AA, and that was that. I then was deep in 3 tournaments, Titan 250K, Bodog sat to 10K seat, Bodog 25K, and in all 3 I was disconnected for significant portions of the time, while the blinds were high. Not alot of fun.

I hope everything works out well, although I can't say I'm too confident it will.

Congress

has voted to make the financing of online poker accounts illegal, which basically puts an end to my poker career. Officially, I am in a "wait and see" mode, but I will be starting up a job search when I get back to the USA later on this week. Not exactly the way I planned on ending my lovely vacation in Australia and New Zealand. If anyone has any good ideas/job leads for me, I'd be very appreaciative if you emailed me at BodogAri-at-gmail.com (Supposedly, that's the way of avoiding spam mail.)

It is said, that G-d works in mysterious ways, I sure hope this is an example of one of them. To say I am in a state of shock would be true. One week ago, I thought the entire idea of banning online poker was scare-talk by those paranoid, today it feels like a very bad dream. I certainly feel betrayed by the conservative party in power (whatever happened to less government is better?) although I'm not sure having someone like Hillary (video games kill people) Clinton in power would be better? It is simply amazing that in a democracy a voting citizen can feel this helpless.